shannon mckelden

Missing in action!

2008-06-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

No worries, readers! I'm still alive and well...focusing on the new book and some other projects I have going. I will be updating at my website for now, whenever anything comes up new and noteworthy. So, to keep up with life in the McKelden household check there: www.shannonmckelden.com.

~Shannon

Fun contest giveaway!

2008-05-06T13:37:00.001-07:00

My friend Erin is giving away three great books (including mine) on her blog today! Go check it out!

Testing out a really cool feature...

2008-04-09T18:10:00.001-07:00

...to Microsoft Office 2007. I'm actually blogging from my Word program, which should publish straight into Blogger and also save a copy for me on my computer. Nifty if it works! Okay, I'm hitting "Publish" ....now!

[Added note: Fabulously cool! It really worked. Not sure if it will make me blog any more often, but still. ~ Shannon]

Anyone still here to hear my good news??!

2008-03-25T13:16:00.000-07:00

Well, if you've come back here day after day after month...geez, it's been two months, folks! Don't you have a life? Anyway...if you've stuck with me this long, you get to hear the great news!

VENUS GUY TRAP, the sequel to VENUS ENVY will be published in early 2009! So for everyone who has been clamoring for the second book, we all finally have our wish. Thanks for sticking the wait out with me!

I'll try to post more often, I promise...however, I have a book to write! See you soon!

Shannon....and Venus!

What Would Venus Do?

2008-01-27T08:33:00.000-08:00

Venus is visiting us today with a Q&A from our reader mail! When you're done taking Venus's most goddess-like advice, come visiting ME at ChickLitGurrl, where I've done an interview! Thanks to ChickLitGurrl for asking me to be part of your great site! - Shannon

Dear Venus,

I love shopping! But, my boyfriend says I spend more time shopping more than I do with him and it's either him...or Saks!! What would you do??
-- Have to make a choice in O.C.

Mmmm....shopping. We should get together and hit Rodeo Drive sometime!

The thing men don't get is that shopping is important. To our self esteem. To our social status. To the economy, for Zeus's sake! (Black Friday wouldn't exist without the shoppers who make it possible.)

Men need to look at shopping differently...as a skill that gets far too little credit. It takes as much stamina to make it through a Macy's Thanksgiving sale as it does to run for a 60-yard touchdown. (And we do it without the benefit of padding and safety helmets!) And any woman who's made a dive for the last pair of designer heels on the bargain table could teach baseball players a thing or two about sliding home. (It's all about how much you really want it.)

Before you forego Ferragamo, you could try convincing your man to take up shopping as a spectator sport. Remind him that it doubles as a workout if he carries your purchases. If that doesn't work, offer a little incentive. For every day of shopping you get, you'll buy a little something for him...and I don't mean a Dooney & Bourke handbag. Sexy lingerie is a gift you both can share.

Finally, ask yourself if he's right. As much as it pains me to say it, shopping really should be the second most important thing in your relationship. If you treat him like #1 most days, he won't be so jealous of your time with Barneys and Marc Jacobs.

Blog Tour - Sylvia Day

2008-01-08T15:54:00.000-08:00

HEAT OF THE NIGHT

by Sylvia Day

ISBN: 978-0061231032

HarperCollins Avon

January 8, 2008

Bad boys are her weakness and no one is as wicked as Connor Bruce… He is the realization of every woman’s erotic fantasies. Existing in the Twilight between sleep and consciousness, Connor brings them decadent pleasures, fueled by their sexual energy. But violence and strife now tear apart both worlds, and Connor must embark on a perilous quest into the mortal realm … and into the arms of one intoxicating enchantress. Stacey Daniels has always been attracted to the wrong type of men – and the muscular, Viking-like champion on her front doorstep is no exception. She can hardly believe the wounded warrior is from another world, a world where erotic dreams are needed to survive, a world of terrible danger that has followed him to her home. Connor finds solace in her passion, but only time will tell if he can defeat the dark foe who hunts them … and if Stacey can surrender to the promise he offers with every electrifying touch.

Excerpt: http://www.guardiannovels.com/novels/heat

ABOUT SYLVIA DAY
SYLVIA DAY is the national bestselling, award-winning author of over a dozen novels. A wife and mother of two, she is a former Russian linguist for the U.S. Army Military Intelligence. Her books have been called “wonderful and passionate” by WNBC.com, “wickedly entertaining” by Booklist, and frequently garner Readers’ Choice and Reviewers’ Choice accolades. She’s been honored with both the EPPIE award and a finalist nod for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award of Excellence.

REVIEWS

“I highly recommend this book especially to readers who love fantasy romance.”– Paranormal Romance Writers

“Sylvia Day’s Guardians are deliciously spicy, especially the intensely sexual Connor. Love the paranormal world! Love the characters! Love the sizzling romance! Love Heat of the Night! Love Sylvia Day!”– Annmarie, Joyfully Reviewed

“Heat Of The Night is not only a love story, it’s also an extremely adventurous tale of good versus evil. I couldn’t stop reading, waiting to see what would happen. In this story, there were characters from the first book as well as new characters, both evil and good. The adventure and love story combine, woven together by a wonderful plot. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in Ms. Day’s marvelous series.”– Marcy Arbitman, The Romance Studio

“Day’s second installment in her Dream Guardian series starts off with a bang! Her hot and steamy sex scenes will leave readers breathless and aching for more. The hero and heroine are believable and well written, and the hero is rugged and definitely dreamy. With characters from the first book added in, as well as a mixture of new faces, plus dashes of paranormal elements, Day has a winning recipe.”– Janean Sparks, RT BOOKreviews

Website: http://www.dreamguardians.com/ http://www.sylviaday.com/

It's DeLovely....It's Delicious....It's Delightful!!

2008-01-03T18:14:00.000-08:00

Not only is the new mass market version of VENUS ENVY on sale now, but I got a huge box of author copies today! It's glossy and colorful and that picture to to left doesn't do it justice at all.

So, I'm feeling generous. I'm giving a way 2 copies of VENUS ENVY, and as a bonus, I'm going to throw in 5 more books from various authors I know and love, just because I can!

There will be two prize packages:

Fabulous Prize Package #1:

1) Venus Envy, by Moi

2) Unbecoming Behavior, by Stephanie Rowe

3) Beyond the Edge, by Susan Kearney

4) Jane Millionaire, by Janice Lynn

5) Lip Lock, by Susanna Carr

6) Don't Look Down (hardback!), by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

Fabulous Prize Package #2:

1) Venus Envy, by Moi

2) Unforgiven, by Lindsay McKenna

3) Silent Memories (signed copy!) by Pat White

4) Charmed & Dangerous, by Candace Havens

5) DirtyLittle Secrets, by Julie Leto

6) Passion, Betrayal, and Killer Highlights, by Kyra Davis

All of the above books are by authors I've read and loved.

So, how can I make this a little bit difficult? How about this: The first two people to find the mass market copy of VENUS ENVY (with the cover as above) in a bookstore and who send me pictures of themselves holding the book, win one of the two lovely packages above. Send the picture and the name of the bookstore where you found it, along with your name to:

shannon(AT)shannonmckelden.com

Now hit those bookstores find me some Venus!!

~ Shannon

My Love/Hate Relationship With Christmas

2007-12-19T13:39:00.000-08:00

A few days ago (okay, maybe a WEEK ago), Christina tagged me for a Christmas MeMe of my favorite things about Christmas. I was gonna do it. I swear. Except the more I thought about it, the more I felt like a big fat liar. And since I'm trying to slide under Santa's Radar of naughtiness, I figured I couldn't complete the meme without getting put down on the naughty list for lying.

So, giving it some thought, I realized that what I have is a love/hate relationship with the holidays. I WANT to love the holidays, but there's just something (about everything) that stops me.

So, with no further ado, my own Christmas MeMe of Honesty:

1) I love....the beauty of Christmas. The decorations and twinkly lights, the smell of fresh-cut fir trees, the colorful ornaments and packages.

I hate....the beauty of Christmas. Do you know how freaking long it takes drag the boxes of all that crap out of storage?? I hate the time it takes to decorate and second-guessing myself on what looks goods. I hate the fact that those lovely-smelling fir trees are like blow torches waiting to happen...I simply don't get a single good night's sleep as long as that thing is in my living room. I hate turning the lights on them, sure we're going to get a short and burn the place down. (Solved this last year with the necessity to get a fake tree, but the feeling still lingers.)

Even worse, I hate taking all that pretty crap down. Do you know how freaking long it takes to stuff all that stuff back into the boxes and drag them all back out to storage??? ONLY to discover a day later that you forgot something??? Last year we forgot a 1-1/2-feet-tall ceramic Christmas tree that lights up. We left it on top of the desk in the living room until we drug out the decorations again this year. And, no. I'm not kidding.

2) I love....the food. The frosted cookies, the home-backed goodies, the egg nog, the pies.

I hate...the food. How many pounds do I have to pack on every year during the holidays before I learn my lesson? Apparently at least another ten. At our family gathering a few weeks ago, I ate all this stuff I don't normally get to eat until I was nearly comatose. Then, my cousins brought their traditional homemade English toffee, all sugary and chocolatey and topped with crunchy slivers of almonds--one of my all-time, once-a-year favorites. It was as delish as I remembered! Then, somehow I ended up leaving the party with an entire bucket of the leftover English toffee. Did I mention that no one in my house eats it but me? And did I mention that I ate almost nothing else BUT the English toffee for the next four days until it was finally gone?? Give me one good reason this is a GOOD thing.

3) I love...Christmas carols. They are so sweet and sentimental, remind me of childhood and goodwill and the real reason for Christmas.

I hate...Christmas carols. Because, you see, I have this sickening sentimental/emotional side, and when I hear said lovely carols that remind me of my childhood and goodwill and the real reason for Christmas...I cry. And, do I want to cry for the entire month of December? Not really. Ditto Christmas movies. The deepest Christmas movie I've watched over the last few years is The Santa Clause, and even that was pushing it. So, I've listened to exactly 1 Christmas CD this year, avoid it on the radio like the plague, and have managed to avoid ANY Christmas movies this year, even though Darling Daughter taped the entire 25 Days of Christmas Movies on Lifetime Channel and they are sitting on the TiVo just waiting to be watched. Not.

4) I love...gift giving. Ah. Finding the perfect gift for your loved one. Isn't that the best feeling ever?! I know they are going to adore it, it's what they've always wanted, or something they mentioned that I actually remembered they mentioned. I can't wait to see their face when they open it and light up at the sheer joy of receiving this gift!

I hate...gift giving. Ennnhhh. The above never happens. I NEVER remember what people want for Christmas, except when it's NOT Christmas, and by the time it IS Christmas, they've already got what they wanted, so I'm back to square one. What the heck is the JOY of calling up your family members and begging them to give you a list of what they want, while they beg you back for a list of what YOU want. Then, you go on your respective searches to fulfill each other's wish lists, often unable to find what they want (because you really aren't sure what the heck a "mandoline" is, for instance). You search high and low, check and recheck the lists, your budget, the UPS tracking system (to see if you are actually going to GET the gift you spent days tracking down before the holiday and could only find at some obscure dotcom which is probably just stealing your credit card number and not planning on sending you anything in return), and then wrap the suckers you aren't even sure they are going to like.

Um, wouldn't be easier and a lot more joyful, if everyone just bought their own gift, wrapped it up, and opened it on Christmas?? It would save EVERYONE a boatload of hassle. (This is a reciprocal hatred, I'm sure. I have no doubt people hate buying for me as much as I hate buying for them.)

5) I love...spending time with my family. We have a blast together, enjoy each other's company, and all get along.

I hate...spending time with my family. At the holidays anyway. See above, #4. It's all about the damn gifts. I think I got my brother a great gift this year (not something from a list for once), but the PRESSURE of wondering if he's going to think it's as wonderful as I think it is, or if it's not quite right, or not the right color, or is missing feature he really would want in this item...the pressure is killing me. Why do we put ourselves through this??? I have much more fun with my family when we're just hanging out and under no obligation to buy each other anything. My gift to them is my presence. (I can hear the snorting now!)

So, call me Grinch if you like, but that's the Truth about Christmas for me. And for all you who wax poetic about the joy of the Season...more power to you.

~Shannnon

Blog Tour

2007-12-19T08:11:00.000-08:00

[I knew this would happen, though not so quickly...having my "to read" book list messed up. I think I need to go through my Amazon Wish List, where I keep track of the books coming out that I want to read, and add those books to my list. I will NOT miss this book. Gena's Alien Huntress books are awesome! Check out the first two books in the series, Awaken Me Darkly and Enslave Me Sweetly, if you haven't read them! ~ Shannon]

SAVOR ME SLOWLY
by Gena Showalter
(Pocket) December 26, 2007

Mishka Le’Ace was created to be an undercover operative . . . literally. Her beautiful body has been mechanically augmented to give her superhuman strength -- strength she’s going to need. Her latest mission sends her to rescue Alien Investigation and Removal agent Jaxon Tremain from torture and death. With him, she discovers a passion unlike any other. A passion she was forbidden to know. . .

From the moment they meet in a darkened cell, Jaxon craves her touch. But the machine half of Le’Ace forces her to do things she doesn’t always want to do. Even betray him . . . and ultimately destroy him. Now Jaxon must battle the man controlling Le’Ace and even Le’Ace herself to at last claim the woman he’s come to love.

ABOUT GENA SHOWALTER:
Gena Showalter sold her first book at the age of 27. Three years later, at the ripe old age of 30, she had sold an amazing total of 15 books in a multitude of genres: paranormal romance, contemporary chick lit/romance hybrid, young adult and urban fantasy. Her books provide something for every fan of fiction. For more information about Gena and her novels, you can visit her website at http://www.genashowalter.com/ and her blog at http://www.genashowalter.blogspot.com/

REVIEWS:
In versatile Showalter’s new futuristic novel, the world teeters on the edge of disaster unless a tough band of human and alien allies can stop it. Danger spiced with sizzling sensuality are definitely hallmarks of Showalter’s style. Kicking butt and taking names is what these protagonists do best which cranks up the action quotient for this intense new book! – Romantic Times

One of the premiere authors of paranormal romance.” New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole

SAVOR ME SLOWLY is the third and strongest installment in Gena Showalter’s Alien Huntress series. As riveting as the previous two books were this one is better. Fresh Fiction

The characters in this book are flawlessly drawn. . . Science fiction at its best! So if you’ve never picked up a story by this talented author, now is the time to start. Two Lips Reviews -- 5 lips, their highest rating!

Gena's Website

Standing out

2007-12-13T20:29:00.000-08:00

So, I thought I'd do my year-end book round-up early this year (mostly because I can't think of another blog topic at the moment). Last year (2006), I read 74 books...this year (2007), I've read 73 as of today, and figure I'll probably get at least three more read before the end of the year. I find it really interesting that I'm so close to last year's count without even trying.

I feel like I can analyze my books now, before finishing out the year, since I know what the next few books are that I am going to read, and they don't fit in any particular niche for me, other than finishing up a series I've really enjoyed. Catching up will be nice!

Last year my goal was to read more YA and more new-to-me authors. You can read that round-up here, and see that I did exactly that. This year my goal was much less defined. Thankfully. Since nothing really stood out as a goal or an accomplishment. I just read for the joy of it!

I only read 7 YA books this year, which I have to say really surprised me. Last year, I read 24. I supposed if I counted the Harry Potter books, I actually read 10 YA's, but I really can't put them in that category (and neither would Jo Rowling).

Last year, my new-to-me authors added up to 42 out of 74, a resounding success in meeting that goal. This year, I read only 23 new authors. Why? Not really sure. Several of the new authors I read this year, I ended up reading several other books they had written later in the year...which I guess is a good thing, right? Means that I was picking up on new-to-me authors who will be repeats for me. These include authors like Nalini Singh, Stephanie Rowe, and JR Ward. I just glanced over last year's book list and I notice that, while I read a lot of new authors, not so many of them were (or will be) authors I choose to read again or add to my auto-buy list of authors. Does that mean my choices were better this year? Not sure.

There were definitely a lot of stand-outs this year, though! Looking for fun books? You can't go wrong with Jackie Kessler, Stephanie Rowe, Janet Evanovich, Serena Robar, and Jennifer Crusie/Bob Mayer. Looking for more dramatic/romantic/serious books? My favorites were by Nalini Singh, Jane Porter, Joshilyn Jackson, Lani Diane Rich, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Sarah Addison Allen, Kristin Hannah, and Diane Setterfield.

What about the authors that just provided a damn good book? Who do I go back to time and again...not necessarily because they deliver a book that punches me in the gut (like Kristin Hannah or Jane Porter), but because I know what I'm getting with them every single time? Suzanne Brockmann, JR Ward, Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

I'm really happy with what I read this year. An interesting stand-out was the book I just finished. The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield. This one was purchased because it was really popular and sounded good. But it was very different than my norm. NOT a romance at all, it had a decidedly gothic flavor to it. Took me back to my day of reading Mary Stewart and Phyllis Whitney (as well as others I probably can't remember). I read The Thirteenth Tale very quickly, but throughout the entire reading, I couldn't have told you that I loved it, or what it was about it that kept my interest. The mystery of it? The mood? The way Setterfield sucked you into the story and you couldn't stop reading until the entire truth was revealed? Whatever it was, it was a great change from my typical.

Another standout would be my reading of the JR Ward Black Dagger Brotherhood series...again totally atypical for me (dark paranormal), but these truly grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let me go. I read the first 4 books in the series in just 10 days, which was phenomenally fast for me. Her world-building is fabulous!

And just because I didn't mention every book here, doesn't mean I didn't love them. In fact there are only a couple on the list that I'd have called mediocre (and NO, I'm not going to say which ones). In fact, this was a big year for not finishing books for me. If I didn't get hooked pretty quickly, I didn't waste my time. I never used to be able to do that...and no I don't feel guilty about it. My time is precious.

So, for 2008, my plan is to read a some new authors, more YA, and to clean out as many of the books I have purchased in the last couple of years as I can. No more lounging on my shelves waiting to be read! In fact, one day, while locked away in my daughter's room, in her comfy chair, "working on my nonfiction articles", I got sucked into browsing our library. I opened a document and started listing the books I really, really want to read...mixing it up with YA, new authors, contemporaries, suspense, non-romance novels, historicals, etc. I ended up with a list of 46 books! That's a half year's worth of reading if I read at the speed I've read the past two years...and that doesn't even count any newly published books I want.

I think this next year will be full of good reading!

A MeMe of Randomness

2007-11-17T20:29:00.000-08:00

Okay, Christina tagged me for this days ago, and I finally have a minute to post.

First, the rules:
1. Link to the person’s blog who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. Don't drink anything over the keyboard while reading this meme on other pages.
4. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
5. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
6. Stretch.
7. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog.

So, here goes. The following is a list of Seven Random Facts you may not know about me:

1) I suffer from "cosmetic laziness." I rarely wear makeup, but when I do, I never take it off before I go to bed. I brush my teeth, but the makeup stays on. I thus wake up with raccoon eyes from where my mascara smears during the night. It's probably a good thing I don't wear makeup very often, or my skin would be a complete mess.

2) It's quite possible that I ate a slug when I was 3 years old. At least to hear my dad tell it. He was salting slugs around the yard and I was toddling around behind him. When he turned to see what I was doing, I had slug slime and salt on my fingers and around my mouth. I argue that I just touched it and then touched my mouth (which is sick enough in and of itself)...but this is one argument neither of us will ever win since only God knows the truth.

3) Everything my family knows we learned from the Simpsons. My son, when asked a random question about God one day, quoted Ned Flanders. I contemplated teaching him the facts of life beginning with "Sponge Bob is not a contraceptive," something Bart had to write on the blackboard for a school infraction in the opening credits of one episode. Many of our family conversations begin with, "Remember that episode where Homer..."

4) Mine and my husband's first date was to the movie Bambi. We were going to go with friends, as a group, but they backed out at the last minute, which made it a "date." We left that movie very "twitterpated" and had our first kiss in my driveway afterward. The kiss was really lousy, because neither of us knew what the heck we were doing. We got better at it. :-)

5) I love to read and watch movies...however, the moment I have read or watched, I completely forget what it was about. I can usually tell you whether I liked the book or movie, and maybe something really vague about it (it was about a boy who went to wizard school), but details are completely lost on me. There are probably only a handful of books I could ever recall well enough to explain to someone. This makes it difficult to recommend books or movies to people also: "I have no clue what it was about, but it was fabulous! You'll have to take my word for it." Don't even try to get me to dissect the specifics of a book with you. The facts are lost deep within my brain somewhere to never be found again.

6) My nickname in high school was Hugo. I was christened this by my German teacher, Mr. Peluso (possibly the funnest teacher ever!). In class, we had to read little skits in German to practice speaking the language aloud. For some reason, one day, I got stuck reading the part of Hugo...which turned into a huge joke. My best friend and boyfriend (now hubby) had buttons made that said, "Have you hugged your Hugo today?" and wore them all around school until practically everyone called me that.

7) I am apparently so boring that it took three of us 30 minutes to come up with 6 random facts about me that were interesting enough to post.

I'm not going to tag anyone, because Christina tagged everyone I know. :-)

In love...

2007-11-05T20:18:00.000-08:00

...with my new furniture.

Is it a sad commentary that I have never owned a piece of new furniture aside from a desk and mattresses? Everything I've ever sat on, eaten at, or illuminated my house with has been a hand-me-down. It just never seemed important that it be new.

I have now discovered that the after-effects of new furniture are like the after-effects of getting a highlight and cut at my favorite salon. I feel beautiful!

The loveseat is the PERFECT writing seat! I wrote 5.5 pages today. The whole family had movie night last night, because we could actually all sit comfortably in the living room, watching a beautiful tv highlighted by a lovely entertainment unit. And they asked to do it again next weekend!

Furniture has brought the family together. :-)

4 Blogs I Love to Read

2007-10-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

1) Post Secret - This blog posts just what its title implies...secrets. People mail in their secrets, with the idea being that it's easier to confess our secrets to strangers, anonymously, and that confession is good for the soul. Some of the secrets are just funny, some are poignant. Some have made me laugh. Some have made me gasp. This is a fabulous blog...and what a source of ideas for characters! Every character has a secret, after all.

2) Midnight Hour - The 6 authors who participate in this blog lend such a variety of topics, writing styles, and ideas, that it's never boring. The authors include Cheyenne McCray, Lilith Saintcrow, Kathy Love, Stephanie Rowe, Alexis Morgan, and Michelle Rowen. There are lots of contests and guest authors to boot!

3) Jane Porter's Blog - Even if you've never read Jane's books, you're sure to enjoy her blog. She's one of the most honest people I know, which I think is what makes her books so fantastic. Her blog has been alternately hysterical, tear-jerking, and informational...all depends on her mood.

4) Dear Author - A romance friendly blog of reviews and industry news. Jane, Jayne, and Janine have varying tastes, so there's something for ever romance reader. I've read a few books outside of my normal tastes based on their in-depth reviews, which I've turned out to really enjoy!

Article prep and other stuff

2007-10-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

Busy, busy with prepping for articles...3 this month and 1 in advance for next month. The articles themselves are usually quick and painless, but keeping track of sources and interviews and planning is crazy sometimes.

I've recently acquired and read two of the books from my Most Wanted list from a few days ago...Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward was the first. Fab-U-Lous! I adore these books, and I really don't know why. I am so caught up in her world, in the characters, in their stories. There were a few surprises in this one, one "disappointment" that really wasn't a disappointment, but more of a "okay, if that's the way we have to do it, we'll do it that way" type of thing, but as a whole completely satisfying and wonderful. I LOVED Jane, the heroine, as well as Vishous, the hero. I hadn't been so sure about the hero/heroine of the last book in this series, so it was nice to go back to being really invested in the love story part of the book.

Also, I received the ARC for Stephanie Rowe's, Sex & the Immortal Bad Boy. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Stephanie!! If you guys haven't read this series, you totally should. (Um, Mizzz K, I'm talking to you! These books are right up your hysterical alley. Contact me for more info about where you should start.)

Here's the blurb from the book, as I stink at blurbs and wouldn't do it justice:

IF THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS...
Paige Darlington is finally free of the literal boss from hell—Satan. There's just one hitch: she's been cursed, and will soon lose her soul. The only way to reverse this ultimate buzz kill is to skinny dip in one of Heaven's cleansing moats. But Heaven has defenses against girls like Paige…and they typically involve being charred to a crisp.

MAYBE THE ROAD TO HEAVEN IS PAVED WITH SEXY ONES.
Jed Buchanan, shadow warrior and Satan Jr.'s favorite assassin, is on a fast track to hell. Until sexy, spirited former Rivka Paige Darlington begs him to help her sneak past the pearly gates. Heaven's no place for a man as dark as Jed, but one look at Paige's sensual eyes and long legs and he knows one thing for sure – he's in for a hell of a hot ride…

If you want an excerpt, check here.

This book was just a fireball of fun! I'm not kidding. I adored Paige from the first time I met her in the last book (He Loves Me, He Loves Me Hot), and Jed was the perfect guy for her.

Stephanie's writing is fun, her grasp of how to create conflict for her characters is outstanding, and I find myself wanting to go back. I've read the first in this series (Date Me Baby One More Time) twice so that I could read all of the last three together, and it was just as great the second time as the first.

So, check these out, you won't be sorry!

~Shannon

Writer Montage

2007-10-08T08:45:00.001-07:00

Enjoy this fun montage of clips from movies depicting writers. It's a kick! Any RWA members who attended the awards banquet in Atlanta (?) a few years ago will recognize it. :-) - Shannon

How I'd Like My Writing Days to Go

2007-10-05T07:50:00.000-07:00

So, I had to miss the September Eastside RWA Chapter meeting, but all my friends went, and they were completely inspired by Susan Mallery's talk on how to write more. She spoke about how to be more productive in the amount of time you have. I'm definitely going to put her methods into play. In just the last two days (not using this method but just on the sheer rush of "I don't have to have surgery, so I'm going to write instead!), I've written 15 pages. Yay me!

Anyway, I think we all have an idea of what we'd like our writing lives to be like. Assuming I'm not going to win the lottery and be able to quit my job tomorrow, I decided to do a little creative dreaming about how my ideal writing day would unfold:

5:30 a.m. - Roll out of bed, dress, work (on the 2 mornings a week that I work) or check e-mail, work on nonfiction article prep/writing, do desk work.

8:30 a.m. - Take GameBoy and Nephew to school.

9:30 a.m. - Any household chores done, fresh cup of coffee on hand, settle down with laptop to work on today's pages. Ideally, I'd like to get 10 pages done each day in a 3-1/2-hour period (giving me 50 pages per week). I've done this before (we're talking first draft), it can totally be done again. I'll have to work up to it, I'm sure. (I've done approximately 7-1/2 pages each of the last two days, so I think I may have to work up to 10 pages).

1:00 p.m. - Put the writing away, and do a bit of prep work, for tomorrow...what I plan to write, maybe a brief outline for the next day, so that I have something to think about for the evening.

1:30 p.m. - Start "real" job.

7:30 p.m. - Finish "real" job. Of course, in between there's a break to debrief my sister-in-law on the day and deliver Nephew into her hands, a break to make dinner, then finishing up work. Ideally, I'd like to make my line/report goal every day within this period of time.

I've never been much of a TV watcher, but I have to admit, there are quite a few on my agenda this season. I want my evenings free to do so. If there's nothing on the tube, I can do more prep work, work on my articles, etc., to free up a bit more writing time during the week. Weekends will be for editing what I wrote the week before and, again, getting work done on the freelance articles if necessary.

So that's the dream. What's your dream day look like...writer or not?

A Wag-Worthy Day

2007-10-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

Silly title for a blog? Not really. I got the idea from my friend Elizabeth Boyle's blog entry about bumper stickers and...wagging vs barking. Check it out!

So why is today a wag-worthy day? My surgery got canceled! Yay me! I was originally scheduled to go in tomorrow for surgery that wasn't going to be very pleasant (though not life-threatening...any more than any surgery is anyway). However, the necessity for the surgery completely disappeared over the last 2-3 weeks! A miracle? It feels like it to me anyway. I left my "preop" appointment yesterday grinning like a fool and haven't stopped since. :-)

So, the plan is to get back on a writing schedule! Starting....as soon as I stop wagging. :-)

What's got you wagging today???

~Shannon

Book I Want To Write

2007-09-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

Crazy week here with rearranged work schedule to accommodate medical appointments, GameBoy breaking off half a front (permanent) tooth, requiring emergency repair, etc. Good grief!

Fun stuff happened though...a trip to Bellevue for the booksigning of Jane Porter's ODD MOM OUT. I wish I could have stayed for the party afterward, but I learned my lesson about wearing my very-rarely-worn contacts when I can't take Excedrin for the headache they are sure to give me. Arghh! Oh well, the bonus to missing the party was getting home in time to watch Grey's Anatomy, which was a sigh of relief. I missed it so much!! And now that Burn Notice is on hiatus for 8 months or so, I needed some more eye candy. :-)

So, I came up with this list of books I'd like to write.

1) A book just like Twilight, by Stephenie Meyers, only not that. A YA that's a little bit dark and edgy, but also humorous. Like with vampires, only not vampires. Hehe....Couldn't resist after that video the other day.
2) Funny women's fiction - Chick lit, if I dare call it that. It may have "fallen from favor," but I still love to write it and to read it. Not sure if a place for it will still be out there or in what incarnation, but I still want to write it.
3) A mystery/suspense. I love the chick lit-like mysteries out there, and I have a few ideas. I'd love to have a continuing series.
4) Romantic comedy - This is really close to the idea of women's fiction, the only difference being, I think, the idea that the women's fiction may have less to do with the romance than the woman herself. Not sure I could ever write one that didn’t have a romance in it, but there is a subtle difference.
5) A deeply emotional women's fiction novel... still with the requisite happy ending, don't get me wrong. But I'm not opposed to some angst in the middle.

What would you love to write?

Shannon

Editors and Writers

2007-09-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

Too funny! Thank fully, I've not had this experience. Although the voices in my head frequently sound exactly like this. -
Shannon

5 Book I'm Looking Forward To

2007-09-24T10:00:00.000-07:00

1) Jane Porter's - Odd Mom Out - Jane is a good friend of mine, but that really has nothing to do with loving her books. A few years ago Jane branched out from a successful career writing Harlequin Presents to writing Chick lit/women's fiction/whatever you want to call it. She struck gold as far as I'm concerned. Her first, Frog Prince, was poignant and touching. Her second, Flirting With Forty, was made me sigh and smile and cry just a little. Odd Mom Out is next up...we're going to pick that up at a signing and book launch party on Thursday night, and I can't wait. I've been told by some who've read it already that is may be Jane's best book yet.

2) J.R. Ward's - Lover Unbound - I know I'm going to love it. I adore Vishous and I want to know his story. The other books in Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series have been at the top of my favorites list this year.

3) Jackie Kessler's - The Road to Hell - Oh, my favorite ex-succubus is back! I can't wait, can't wait, can't wait! Jess was such fun in Hell's Belles, I just know she's going to entertain again.

4) Stephanie Rowe's - Sex & the Immortal Bad Boy - Stephanie's books are a crack up. Seriously (or comedically, really) you never, NEVER know what will happen next, but it's sure to be worse that you thought it possible could be. Her talent amazes me...I've read the first book in this series, Date Me Baby, One More Time, TWICE. Not a common occurrence for me. This latest installment is about Paige, and I adored Paige! As a bonus, I just found out I get to read a copy early! Yay! and thanks, Stephanie! I will sing your praises all over the net! :-)

5) PC and Kristin Cast's - Betrayed: A House of Night Novel (Book 2) - I recently read the first book by this mother/daughter team, Marked. They've created an intriguing and different Vampire world, which I really enjoyed. I'm looking forward to the further adventures of Zoey Redbird.

What's Up, Pussycat?

2007-09-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

Hi! I'm still alive for all of you who've been wondering.

If you haven't been wondering, that's okay, too. I can't be the center of the universe for everyone.

So, what have I been up to in my long absence? Um, nothing exciting. When I tried to explain why I hadn't updated my blog in two months, one of my coworkers had it just about right: What's so exciting about, "I got out of bed this morning. I worked 8 hours. I went back to bed."? Not a damn thing, I'm telling you.

Shocking, isn't it, to discover the life of a writer is boring as white bread sometimes.

But, seriously...I've been, um, in a slump? I really hate to admit that. I always swore this wouldn't happen to me.

I was also sure as soon as school was back in session that slump would begin to un-slump. Only that hasn't been the case. Not only has life conspired to keep me from getting into a writing routine again (still playing Mom Taxi, some medical issues to take care of in the next few weeks), but I've been stuck. What do I want to write? Where do I fit in?

It's not that I haven't been thinking about writing. I've actually done quite a bit of studying of the craft, which is really important. I've been listening to the RWA National Workshops CDs...I recommend Michael Hague especially, as well as the no-punches-pulled chat with The Nora. Then, I watched a DVD workshop by Michael Hague and Chris Vogler that I've had for years and never watched. It was fabulous...the same info Michael gave at National, but expanded. Highly recommended!

October's going to be a big (and hopefully Inspiring with a capital I) month for me. I'm attending a workshop by Donald Maass, based on his Writing the Breakout Novel book, which I'm sooo looking forward to. Then, to be further inspired, I'll be attending the Emerald City Conference, put on by the Greater Seattle Chapter of RWA, at the end of the month, which never fails to light a fire under my behind. I was finally able to finish VENUS ENVY after a weekend at that Conference in 2004. I so missed being at National this year that I need ECWC more than ever, I think. Bonding and breaking bread with 200 or 2000 romance writers is like the Red Bull of inspiration.

Anyway, I'm going to strive to blog on a more regular basis. I know there are people watching me. My coworkers (Hi, Ladies!), whom I have come to know and really enjoy through X-Chat (since we live all over the country and have never met), discovered I have a blog, so I've been warned to update. And, Mizz K, though she restrains herself for the most part, sometimes just breaks down and has to beg. J

I promise I'll try harder.

The Impotence of Proofreading By Taylor Mali

2007-08-09T20:25:00.001-07:00

I think I've become addicted to YouTube! Is there a 12-step program? But really, this was pointed out to me by one of my agency sistahs, and it's hysterical!

Romance Novel

2007-08-09T12:04:00.001-07:00

Enjoy! This totally cracked me up!

The End of Harry Potter - no spoilers

2007-07-25T09:18:00.001-07:00

Well, like much of the rest of the world my weekend was devoted solely to Harry. With book #6, I didn't read it right away. In fact, I didn't read it until just a few months ago...and by then I knew that Dumbledore had died (though not at whose hand). It wasn't a surprise when I read it.

This time I wanted it to be different. I wanted to know, right along with everyone else, who died, who lived, if Harry triumphed, or if it was Voldemort. I couldn't bear the idea of hearing it second-hand this time.

Darling Daughter and I preordered our copies from Amazon, guaranteed to arrive Saturday. DD works at a PostNet store in town, so when her dad dropped her off at work Saturday at 9:30 a.m., she was anticipating having to wait for the books. Well, they were already there! So, my husband arrives home, I report that DD has called and the books are there. He offers to go back to get my copy. I, of course, having 8 hours of work left to do for the day, say no. He, of course, being married to me for 21 years, knows I'm lying through my teeth and goes back anyway. (Gotta love the guy!)

He delivers my book and I allow GameBoy (my 11 yo son) the honors of opening it. We very, very sneakily try to see how many pages it is without seeing what the last word of the book might be. 759. Wow. That's going be a push. Hubby, seeing the really sad, sad look on GameBoy's face, because he is going to have to wait until Darling Daughter or I finish one of our copies before he can read it, decides to bargain chores out of him in exchange for a trip back to the store to get his own copy. Sad. We are so sad. A family of 4 with 3 copies of the same book because none of us wants to wait.

It was worth it. :-)

GameBoy started it at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. I started it at 5:01 p.m., the moment I finished work, and Darling Daughter started it by 6:00 p.m.

GameBoy finished it at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. (Did I mention he's 11? That's my boy!)

Darling Daughter finished it at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. (No surprise there.)

I finished it at 5:30 p.m. Sunday (slowpoke!).

We spent much of the previous three days avoiding TV, the radio, the internet, and delivery owls who may have been tempted to ruin the suspense for us. We succeeded in remaining in the dark, although a few times I had to yell at GameBoy (some 200 pgs ahead of me and reading in the same room) to stop gasping and making faces, because I didn't want to know!

I was so happy with the book. I loved that Rowling didn't sugar coat it. That there were deaths as she promised. I realized later, though I cried wholeheartedly at those deaths, that, being a war, had there been no deaths...no meaningful deaths...or only faceless deaths...it would have diminished the importance of the war. It would have minimalized what Harry had just spent the last 7 years doing....fighting against evil. Not just for himself, but for everyone. Those deaths all meant something.

So to any parents out there worried that their kids shouldn't be exposed to death, guess what? Your kids will be exposed to death (or already have been) for the whole of their lives. Rowling didn't betray anyone or kill off characters just for kicks. She allowed characters to sacrifice for a good cause. And they all did it with valor and bravery.

I'm sad to see that the series is over. I think, someday, I may read them all again, beginning to end, just to pick up on all the things I know I missed.

But in the meantime, thanks, Jo, for sharing with us your incredible imagination.

~Shannon

Making Romance Hip

2007-07-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

You know it's a real concern for a lot of romance writers these days...how do we bring in the next generation of romance readers if all we have to offer are the mainstays we've lived with for the last 20-30 years? I think the upswing of paranormal romances has helped, riding on the popularity of Buffy to grab a few readers. But is that enough?

Dorchester decided it wasn't and created a line of books for the next generation of readers. With hip Manga-style covers, they are sure to attract readers who wouldn't look twice at a clinch cover or a cover with pretty flowers on it. And, once these readers are hooked on the Happy Ever After ending, they become our new readers. It's like passing on a legacy.

So, with the SHOMI line of books, Dorchester is inviting a new flood of potential romance readers to take a look and try us out. I think it's brilliant! And a friend, Marianne Mancusi, is one of the fab new authors to introduce romance to our next generation. Rock on, Mari!!

MOONGAZER

by Marianne Mancusi
Dorchester, August 2007

Imagine every night entering a nightmare world you can't escape and being told your life is a dream. Skye Brown has it all: the cool job, the hot boyfriend, the apartment on New York's Upper West Side. But lately she can't enjoy any of it. She's having dreams of a post-apocalyptic world. Of a bleak futuristic wasteland. Of a struggle against oppression. And she's been told she's a...

MOONGAZER
But what is that? And what is reality? In her dreams, she's not Skye Brown at all, but Mariah Quinn. In her dreams there's Dawn, the beautiful yet haunted soldier, and Skye is but the empty shell of a girl he once loved. And there was a betrayal, a great betrayal. Ripped between Dark Siders and club kids, the mundane and the mystic, Skye must discover who she is, what she wants and who wants her. And why. But in the glow of the moon, it's not always easy to recognize the face in the mirror.

Excerpt:
http://www.dorchesterpub.com/Dorch/SpecialFeatures.cfm?Special_ID=2222

ABOUT MARIANNE MANCUSI
When it comes to writing, award winning author Marianne Mancusi doesn't like to play by the rules. A multiple Emmy award winning television producer, she sold 11 novels to three publishers (Dorchester, Berkley, Dutton Children's) in less than three years. Marianne has worked in television stations in Orlando, San Diego, and Boston. A graduate of Boston University's College of Communications, she currently produces for a nationally syndicated lifestyle show. She lives in Manhattan's Upper West Side .

REVIEWS
“Exhilarating! Once I started, I couldn’t put this book down!”
– New York Times Bestselling Author Gena Showalter

"Dreams, reality and virtual reality collide in Mancusi’s exciting and frightening new futuristic thriller.”
- Romantic Times Magazine 4 Star Review

"An enthralling combination of The Matrix and Snow Crash with a bit of Blade Runner thrown into the mix.”
- SF Scope

Website: http://www.mariannemancusi.com/